Why Is Burger King Called Hungry Jack’s In Australia?

When Burger King went to expand its operations into Australia, they found that the name “Burger King” had already been trademarked by a take-away food shop in Adelaide. The name “Hungry Jack’s” was chosen by Australian franchisee Jack Cowin from a list of alternative names derived from pre-existing trademarks already registered by Burger King and Pillsbury (which was their corporate parent company at the time).

The name was changed slightly by adding an apostrophe ‘s’ thus forming the new name “Hungry Jack’s”for the Australian restaurants. The first Hungry Jack’s was established in Innaloo, Perth on 18 April 1971.

In later years after the name “Burger King” did become available, there was an attempt by the Burger King parent company to expand into Australia with stores competing against the Hungry Jack’s franchises. Ultimately this venture was unsuccessful after it was found to be a breach of Jack Cowin’s master franchise agreement and in 2003 Burger King ceded the Australian market to the Hungry Jack’s brand.

Andrew Terry; Heather Forrest (2008). “Where’s the Beef? Why Burger King Is Hungry Jack’s in Australia and Other Complications in Building a Global Franchise Brand”. Northwestern Journal of International Law and Business, 200828 (2): pp. 171–214. Download article

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